Excavations at Kalavasos-Kokkinogia, 2004-2007

Kalavasos-Kokkinogia belongs to a cluster of prehistoric sites situated in the lower Vasilikos valley in the coastal lowlands of south-central Cyprus. Kokkinogia extends along the eastern edge of a low north -south ridge with commanding views of the lowlands to the east and south-east. It is located 500m. south of the predominantly Chalcolithic site of Kalavasos-Pampoules·and is only 2km. south of another Chalcolithic site, Kalavasos-Agious

Decorating the Neolithic: an Evaluation of the Use of Plaster in the Enhancement of Daily Life in the Middle Pre-pottery Neolithic B of the Southern Levant

During the Middle Pre-pottery Neolithic B in the southern Levant the use of lime plaster in both ritual and domestic contexts increased significantly relative to previous periods. Its properties of whiteness, purity, plasticity and antisepsis would have made it a natural choice for decorating, and through the act of colouring disparate categories of objects were linked together. Plaster appears to have transcended its own inherent value as a material due to its interconnectedness with mortuary ritual. Because of its ubiquity, this socially ascribed value was accessible to everyone. This article will claim that plaster, and the act of plastering both ritual and domestic contexts played a key role in the creation and maintenance of community cohesion and social well-being

Establishing a baseline of learning & development for general practice pharmacy professionals in Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (BNSSG)

IntroductionThe number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working within general practice has significantly increased with the NHS Long Term Plan and the introduction of the ‘Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme’ (ARRS)1,2. Whilst there is an approved learning pathway for those employed under ARRS3, it is not clear what additional development the whole local workforce needed both immediately and into the future.AimTo establish what learning &amp; development was being completed by the pharmacy professionals in general practice and what was required to support the roles into the future. MethodsAn online, anonymous survey was sent to all members of the pharmacy workforce working in GP practices or Primary Care Networks across Bristol, North Somerset &amp; South Gloucestershire (119 pharmacists and 36 pharmacy technicians). The tool used a mixture of qualitative and quantitative questions to investigate existing learning needs, current programmes of study and the use of competency frameworks to support learning. In addition, it investigated whether respondents used ‘communities of practice’ to support their learning and what future networks may be required. Qualitative data were grouped by themes and actions taken on the key themes. Descriptive statistical analysis was undertaken on the quantitative data.The survey was not considered to be research; therefore ethics approval was not required.ResultsThere was a 25% response rate (n=39) which included 29 pharmacists (24%) and 10 pharmacy technicians (28%). 15 respondents were either on the accredited pathway or had completed it (38%) and of the pharmacists, 20 were registered prescribers (69%). 21% (n=8) of respondents were using a framework to evidence competencies. Career aspirations included becoming Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Consultant Pharmacists or Partners in their practice. 44% (n=17) of respondents reported no protected development time. 30 respondents belong to one or more network groups (81%). 73% (n=28) of the respondents supported the development of more communities of practice although some suggested the purpose should be clear and the impact on work-life balance considered.Discussion and ConclusionThis study provided a broad overview of the current need for learning and development in the local area although a limitation was the small proportion of the workforce that responded. It was clear that the pharmacy workforce in general practice in BNSSG required more support for career development. The information gathered through this survey has shaped the support provided by the Pharmacy Lead at the BNSSG Training Hub. Guidance has been produced to support practices with understanding roles of pharmacy professionals and their development needs including protected time. A business case has been submitted to explore funding for advanced clinical skills as this was seen as a priority by respondents. In addition, an additional community of practice has been developed to enable peer discussions and support amongst pharmacy professionals. There is further work to be done to support the learning and development of the workforce in general practice. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Core Advanced Curriculum and the use of already established frameworks will enable pharmacy professionals to demonstrate their skills and competence and will be used to identify their learning needs. <br/

Service user experience of the Norfolk youth service

Purpose: There is an international drive to improve mental health services for young people. This study aims to investigate service user experience of a youth mental health service in Norfolk, UK. In addition to suggesting improvements to this service, recommendations are made for the development of youth mental health services in general. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods approach was used. Quantitative data from satisfaction questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics and compared between two time points. A semi-structured interview was used to generate qualitative data. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes in the interview transcripts and triangulation was used to synthesise quantitative and qualitative data. Findings: Service users appeared satisfied with the service. Significant improvements in satisfaction were found between two time points. Qualitative analysis identified three main themes that were important to service users, including support, information and personhood. Practical implications: Recommendations for the development of youth mental health services are provided. Although these are based on findings from the Norfolk youth service, they are likely to apply to other mental health services for young people. Originality/value: Mental health care for young people requires significant improvement. The Norfolk youth service is one of the first services of its kind in the UK. The findings from this study might be helpful to consider in the development of youth mental health services across the world

Sport policy in Cameroon

With a population of over 20 million, the central African nation of Cameroon has over 200 ethnic groups speaking over 230 languages. Its triple colonial heritage makes it a unique nation, fused with many political, economic and social complexities. This country profile provides a review of how sport is organised and governed and begins with an overview of the democratic and postcolonial past it has witnessed since independence was gained in 1961. Sport is popular in Cameroon, and its development is largely led by the central government. The profile begins with a discussion of the key sport policy developments in recent years and in particular the rise in the popularity of football over other sporting codes, and how this intersects positively and negatively with politics. Next, the organisation and structure of sport in Cameroon are outlined, specifically school sport, elite sport and disability sports provision. The profile notes a small yet emergent non-state-led sector, which uses sport for development purposes, which is driven in the main by international organisations and donors. Finally, the key priorities and associated challenges for Cameroon sport are discussed, including the desire to grow the nation’s sporting infrastructure in order to host international sports competitions